Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiroadrunner]

As a previous employee I'd like to warn future teachers this school is the pits. There are issues over contracts, visa processes, resources, class sizes, management, health and safety, water, food... you name it, there's a issue!!! DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILDREN HERE... This is a hogwan!

Teachers are recruitered and taken to Korea on lies. Everything is a lie!
If you do decide to come - make sure you have an E2 visa before you arrive in the country!!

This school is not working towards IBO-PYP registeration, do not believe the lies that they are in the process of registering for IBO.

The current Kiwi Acting Principal who undoutly sounds genuine on the phone, it a puppet that has no control over anything in the school.

Teachers are bullied and threatened.

DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL!!!!

[nikkijsullivan]

Bugger, a mate has just signed up and left the country for a job there!

[balanced_well]

To kiwiroadrunner (Are you sure you're a previous teacher because you are surely up to date with what's going on around here?) and everyone else whose had something bad to say about NZIS: I'm currently at the school and I have 2 words for you - GROW UP!! What is it that you thought you were gonna get here that you didn't??

OK, let's talk about your issues:
Contracts - who doesn't have issues with contracts in Korea?
Visa processes - so someone came here without an E-2 visa but it was sorted as soon as immigration gave the go ahead.
Resources - it's a new school, what did you expect?
Class sizes - this one throws me - the biggest class has 12 kids!!
Management - you're not supposed to be dealing with them so what's your problem?
Health and safety - of who or what??????
Water - so we have to take a cold shower now and again. Has anyone died from it?
Food - what were you expecting - to eat fish and chips every night? THIS IS KOREA!!!!

Now, for MY issues:
YOU left behind whatever luxury it is you are used to and came here willingly. No-one forced you to come here and NO-ONE forced you to bring your kids along. YOU signed the contract - live with it and if you can't do the decent thing and give your 8 weeks notice and LEAVE!!!!

What is so hard about ...
- Having your breakfast food (fruit, juices, bread, eggs, bacon, cereal, milk, tea/coffee, milo, etc, etc, etc, etc) delivered to your kitchen? All you have to do is cook it and eat it!!
- Living in a room (no sharing) with your own bathroom, airconditioner, fan, TV, built in wardrobe, etc, etc, etc, etc?
- Having free bus rides to town daily?
- Having free (and fast) internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
- Having free satellite TV 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (most channels in your room)?
- Having digital equipment at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
- Having a gym and other sports equipment/courts at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
- Having free Korean lessons delivered to you in the building twice a week?
- Having your salary paid into your bank account EVERY MONTH without any funny business?

AND ALL OF THIS AT THE SCHOOL'S EXPENSE!!

AGAIN, 2 WORDS - GROW UP!!!!

[Cheonmunka]

[Cheonmunka]

[friendlyrose]

Just heard from someone working there that the school has changed management and will be running as a Kids College from next year!

[kiwiroadrunner]

As an ex-employee of New Zealand International School I am not surprised - was waiting for the day the place finally shut down and became a hogwan - not that it isn't one now!

Just wondering about all the people who were in management positions in the school and made so many promises to teachers and their families and bringing them from NZ and everywhere else.

[mediano tzu]

Has anyone worked here since they became a Kid's College? If so, have you had any issues or was it a good gig? I've been offered a job there, and the other threads that mention this school are somewhat divided on opinion and out-of-date. Can anyone give me some info about NZIS Kid's College?

[KoreanKiwi]

Please look carefully at the three names above. They are all businesses located at the same site and run by the same people. There has been much written about this set up before. The best advice anyone can give at this time, for any of the 'businesses' operating under the names listed above, is STEER WELL CLEAR. What started as a promising venture called the New Zealand International School has failed to deliver the goods. It IS NOT, NEVER HAS BEEN and NEVER WILL BE an International School in anything other than name. If anything, these 'businesses' appear to be entering a Terminal Dive. If you get onboard now you are bound to be badly burned when the wings finally come off.
The Korean management have lied to, manipulated and downright abused both Korean staff and foreign staff employed at this site. At least 3 foreign teachers have done 'midnight runs' in the past three months. Think about it - not ONE but THREE professional teachers have been driven to run like criminals in the night. That is surely a warning to anyone thinking about working at this site.

[mediano tzu]

[Boreas]

I have just read what has been posted about these businesses in the past 24 hours. Granted it doesnt look good, but I hate to say that the truth is actually even worse than has been said so far.

In the past 24 hours the New Zealand Principal, who had been at the place for less than 2 weeks, was fired summarily - simply because the Korean President of the school didn't like her.

12 hours before that another New Zealand teacher was fired, because she was 'too old'. She is not yet knocking 50. At least three or four other foreign teachers have been put on notice that they are in line to be fired for various reasons, such as: one is a coloured South African (so racism is an issue at this place), one has a noticeable New Zealand accent (and THIS is grounds for summary dismissal!!), another is in his mid-40s (he is too old - agism here).

It needs to be clearly stated here, all of the staff that have been unjustifiably dismissed, or warned out for imminent dismissal (by 'friendlies' amongst the local staff) are trained and qualified PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS, who have been doing their jobs in a competent and thoroughly professional manner. The President is totally unscrupulous and is set upon clearing the way for young, unqualified, and gullible graduates, who will work for peanuts, to take their places.

There has been sexual harassment of staff at this site as well. So take your pick of places to work, but if you want to be subjected to sexism, agism, racism, or just about any other 'ism' come line up for a job here. Just don't say you haven't been warned though.

[mediano tzu]

While I read that and think, "wow," still I hate to say that I'm not surprised. I wasn't even given any kind of proper interview . . .they wanted to hire me before even speaking to me on the phone and that was a red flag in my mind. Add to that their unwillingness to let me speak to some current teachers at the school and I could tell that "something was rotten in the state of Denmark," or in this case, Jeonju.

Lucky for me I have a small spot of common sense. I pity the sucker that is taken in by their rhetoric and signs on, however.

[soulmate]

The nightmare continues. In the last five weeks we have had three very good and professional teachers leave without notice because of the intolerable working conditions at this place. One of these left because she had come down with enviromental depression from the stress of working here. Another left because he could no longer tolerate the way our principal was being mistreated and he had the courage to stand up for her against management. Yesterday our principal walked out because she has been treated so appallingly by the Korean President and Owner of this hellhole. That is the third professional principal that has been done over here in less than nine months. We are talking about exeperienced, senior, professional NZ trained and experienced teachers with years of senior management experience in NZ schools. There are many other teachers here who are currently planning how they can make their escapes. We have to escape as management refuses to accept our letters of resignation. We are trapped here unless we sneak out like thiefs. A guard and a barrier have recently been set up at the gate so that teachers movements into and out of the premises are monitored 24/7 - this is a live-in hostel site but it might as well be our gaol. There are also CCTVs installed here now to monitor all entrances and exists to this building. This is not to keep us or the buildings safe it is to see when we come and to raise the alarm if someone tries to leave with a suitcase at night time. We have less personal freedom here than a high-security prisoner in gaol.

DO NOT even consider coming here to work. You will be trapped here in the most oppressive and unpleasant working regime you can ever imagine. The Korean president of this place is on one huge megalomanical power trip. He is a sociopath and a dangerous man. He spends his days watchin pornography on school computing equipment in his office. That is right. This is the calibre of the individual leading our school. Anywhere else in the civilised world anyone doing that in a school wuold be put behind bars. He treats the younger foreign female staff members here as his pets and it is dangerous and creepy to be with him on our own in his office for an 'interview'.

[Cheonmunka]

Why don't you send a few letters off to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand, considering in '05 they sponsored this school by giving them a public thumbs up lending their name to it, and giving them a rave on their website.
I'd send off a few letters to the embassy reps here. I'd search for any old media with guys like David Taylor blessing the place.

"The official opening ceremony is slated for Saturday. New Zealand Ambassador to Korea David Taylor and Chonju Mayor Kim Wan-joo are scheduled to attend the ceremony."
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200507/kt2005070520100310510.htm

The embassy also has this on their website, giving the school a big public recognition:
http://www.nzembassy.com/news.cfm?c=8&l=44&CFID=80650&CFTOKEN=30894384&i=1852

There are other sites with this school's stuff on it.

Man, I'd send some letters and let the embassy see the problem they've helped create.

Edit: There's this guy too plugging the place: 앤드류 프렌치 뉴질랜드 상무참사관과 Andrew French, Commercial attache. At least his name appears in the plug.
Heck, if there's no response from them I'm sure the Herald will be interested, always on the look for a good story.

[ilovebdt]